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“Yes?” I croak, shaken with shock.
Creed crouches down to meet my gaze, surprise flitting through his gaze. “Did you see all of that?”
My eyes widen as I nod. “You guys saw it too?”
“Yeah, it played out like a projection on the table.”
Crawling out from under the table, I stand, dusting myself off as I glance around at everyone. “Did any of you guys manage to see the other person? I could only see Burton.”
Eldon shakes his head, but as he opens his mouth to speak, the thud of footsteps garners our attention.
“Fuck. Quick, this way,” Leila whisper-shouts, waving for us to follow her farther into the room where a small alcove sits in the shadows. She tucks herself away in the corner and the rest of us follow suit. Zane accesses his magic, and without a word, we all connect once again to become invisible.
My heart races in my chest, but the curiosity over who it could be is short-lived as Burton steps into the room. Fitch is a step behind him, dragging someone along with him, and my frown only deepens when I see it’s Sebastian.
Burton tugs at the lapels of his blazer as he circles the table. “I’m assuming no one saw you,” he says, turning to watch Fitch release Sebastian in the middle of the room, who sits defeated where he’s left.
“Of course not. But we don’t have long. The meeting was called for seven, which is in thirty minutes,” Fitch explains. “Why is he here anyway?”
Burton’s jaw tightens as he shakes his head at Sebastian. “His control is wavering. His decisions are faltering. Guilt seems to have taken over him since he secured the target from Ruben.”
His what is what now? Why does Burton know about that? I thought that order had come from Erikel, especially since it was passed on to one of his men. Nausea burns the back of my throat as they talk about Sebastian like he’s not there, and he remains silent and still.
“How do you want me to handle it?”
“I’m sure punishment with a fresh load of magic will do the trick,” Burton bites, and Sebastian whips his head up, fear in his eyes.
“Please,” he rasps, trying to move back, but Fitch already has him by the collar.
I blindly clutch Brax’s hand as magic lifts Sebastian just off his feet. His school blazer, shirt, and tie are removed, revealing his back. My free hand cups my mouth as horror burns in my eyes.
His flesh is red and raw. Line after line of pain and brutality cover his skin, and the source of it now rests in Fitch’s hands.
A whip.
I glance at Leila out of the corner of my eye to see the same horror written all over her face. Any inkling that she had any knowledge of this is dismissed with the pain and disbelief that makes her tremble.
“Three lashings. Let’s make sure he has a reminder for the next few days,” Burton orders, and Fitch doesn’t need any further encouragement as he pulls his hand down and lets the sound of the whip cut through the air before it connects with Sebastian’s back.
Fuck.
Emotion clogs my throat. My brother is an asshole. There’s no lie in that, but has that been his own doing…or theirs? Either way, I can’t watch. It’s too painful.
The second and third lashes of the whip have Sebastian crying out, the sound is raw and jagged, but I force myself toremain where I am. I don’t have the whole picture, and until I do, I can’t reveal us.
“Now, remember your place, Hendrix,” Burton hisses, and I open my eyes in time to see him place his hand on Sebastian’s face, fingers splayed as he chants something under his breath. My brother falls to the floor a moment later.
I sense Leila’s panic and movement, and when I turn to face her, I see the tears tracking down her face.
“I can’t go home to him. I can’t,” she whispers, her bottom lip jittering with every word.
“You have to, Leila. This is bigger than us. Bigger than everything, and they can’t know that we know,” I breathe in response when I’m sure they haven’t heard her. She shakes her head vigorously, but Burton moves around the table, regaining our attention.
“Prepare for the gathering and get rid of him,” Burton hisses, waving a hand at Sebastian’s limp body on the floor. I expect Fitch to dismiss him, but before he can grab Sebastian, Burton has him by the scruff of his collar. “Do your job, or the next time, it won’t be a lashing; it will be your life. You thought you could hide this little guild from me? You fool.”
I frown, my heart racing so fast I’m certain it’s going to burst from my chest. Hide the guild from him? He’s the leader, what the fuck does that mean? I glance to Creed beside me, who shakes his head, obviously just as confused as I am.
“We even had to kick your daughter out of the guild to keep up with the ruse,” Fitch adds, taking Sebastian from Burton’s hold and tossing him over his shoulder. He’s unresponsive, but they continue to vocalize their disappointment in him.
